«　WEEK 2　DAY 4　»

　　John 1:13 Who were begotten not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

　　 3:36 He who believes into the Son has eternal life…….

　　Titus 3:5 Not out of works in righteousness which we did but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit,

　　Regeneration Being the Center of God's Complete Salvation and the Commencement of God's Salvation in its Organic Aspect.

　　It is God Himself as the Spirit coming into our spirit to make us alive. In other words, we are regenerated, made alive, in our spirit by the Spirit of God. This is regeneration.

　　Before we believed in the Lord Jesus, we were so confused about everything that we even did not know what being a man was all about. However, after we were saved, we became clear in our spirit. This is the Spirit of God coming into our spirit to enliven it and open our understanding so that we begin to know what God is all about, what the universe is all about, and what we ourselves are all about. Then we know that this God who regenerated us dwells in our spirit.

　　Through regeneration the believers have the spiritual life of God in addition to their natural life (John 3:15). The spiritual life of God is divine and eternal (v. 36). Such a divine life is the basis and means of the believers' spiritual life and living. Spiritually, all of our living is based upon the divine life of God in us.

　　We all know that every kind of life has its taste. The cat life has its taste, the dog life has its taste, and so does the horse life, the cow life, the goat life, etc. The Hakkas have their taste, and the Shantung people also have their taste. All our taste comes from our five senses—the sense of sight, the sense of hearing, the sense of smell, the sense of taste, and the sense of touch. However, one day the Triune God came in to be our life. When we have Him as our life, our inner taste is changed. This is the organic work of God.

　　Let us give another illustration. Thirty years ago I was here in the United States releasing the word of God. At that time many hippies came to listen to my speaking. Some of them wore a headband, and some had long beards and dark countenances. Among them there was one who resembled John the Baptist. He used to go to the campuses shouting, “Repent!” He had a big beard and was very husky, so he looked quite intimidating. He also came to our meetings. He was barefoot, and he sat in front of me swinging his feet. Eventually, after a few days, his long beard was gone. After another few days, he came in a pair of sandals. However, his five toes were still exposed. After a few more days, he put on a pair of shoes. When we look at him today standing here, we cannot imagine that he is an ex-hippie. I did not advise him to change himself. However, after he heard the word of God, the life-giving Spirit began to wash him from within. His insight changed, his sense of hearing changed, and his taste changed. This is the washing of regeneration.

　　Hence, regeneration is a washing in God's salvation (Titus 3:5). Such a washing is a great renewing of the believers by God's salvation to enable them to get rid of all that is of their natural life and the old creation and become God's new creation (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15). The washing of regeneration begins with our regeneration and continues with the renewing of the Spirit, both of which are on the aspect of the organic salvation and are matters of life. In the washing of regeneration there is the renewing of the Holy Spirit. Following the washing of regeneration, the Holy Spirit continues to work within us to re-create us that we may become a new creation, thus making us renewed. Finally, this renewing enables us to get rid of all that is of our natural life and the old creation and become God's new creation.